It Takes Two to Tango
by farrahbelle64
Summary: A one night stand turns into an unexpected pregnancy. Can two people who can't stand each other somehow make it work?
1. Chapter 1

Caragh rubbed the top of her seven month's pregnant belly and sighed. She had gone over in her head a million times about the babies' room, but it was tough with twins. Especially a boy and a girl, would she do pink or blue? Deciding to please both sexes she chose vertical blue and pink stripes. Now that the stripes were actually dried and she was putting together the room she wasn't so sure on the combination. _Should have done yellow, _Caragh thought to herself. She moved around the mahogany cribs and changing table for the eighth time. She wanted to try to make things as easy as they could be once the kids arrived, so it seemed to make the most sense to have the cribs on either side of the table. A rocker sat in the corner by the window and there were already two side by side closets filled with onsies and toys. This definitely wasn't the way she'd planned her life to go. She made a really good life for herself in Florida, she'd graduated top of her class from Florida Atlantic's Pharmacy program and took a position at the Walgreens outside Tampa. She'd purchased her own home a few blocks from the ocean, with ocean view from the top floor. It wasn't a huge place, perfect for one, maybe a couple. But now it would have to be perfect for a family of three. She silently wished to herself that it could be a family of four but she knew that would never happen. As straight laced as she was and as well planned out her life had been there was no way around it. She'd been the girl to spend one night with some muscle head and came out of it knocked up. Now she was stuck with this guy who would be in her life forever no matter where she ended up. She had considered in the beginning just terminating the pregnancy, but in the end her heart won out and she knew she could never do that. These were her children after all, and with it being twins and a boy and girl probably the only children she'd have. Especially since she was already a single mother and she hadn't even given birth yet. Caragh took a seat in the rocker and thought backward seven month's to that whirlwind two weeks she spent with her best friend Kristen and her husband Ted on the road with the WWE.

"_Honey we are gonna have too much fun, I can't believe you're here!" Kristen shouted as she ran to Caragh through the airport. It had been a good two months since she'd seen Kristen who'd joined her husband Ted on the road with the WWE. He was a wrestler and Kristen had been his high school sweetheart. Kristen and Caragh had gone to college together, Kristen in the nursing program and Caragh in pharmacy. _

"_I know I can't believe it either, and two weeks off from work is just what I need. It feels like all I do is work now that we're all grown up. Everyone's having babies and living their lives now." Caragh said looking at Kristen's growing belly in slight envy. Kristen was already three month's along and Caragh was so happy for her friend. She took time off from her position at St. Mathews to travel with Ted throughout her pregnancy and then once their baby was born she'd stay back home and work part time. Ted always thought it was silly that Krissy insisted on working but Kristen had said it was a nice escape to be at the hospital and talk with her friends there. _

_Caragh had decided to join them for a couple weeks on the road so Ted could get back to traveling with his buddies and Krissy didn't have to travel alone. But most of all the girls missed each other. Caragh had left her boyfriend from college when he refused to move to Florida with her, and it had been strange transitioning into her career without Jason. He'd been her rock all through school and now it was like there was a void in her life. He'd been from Ohio and went to the same school as her and when they graduated she was offered the position near her parent's home in Tampa while he was offered a Director's position at the same hospital his father worked at. That had been something they'd never agreed on. Caragh couldn't imagine not using her education to help patients and really work in direct care, while Jason always knew a comfy desk job overseeing other employees was in his future. But she'd moved on from that time in her life and was ready to start fresh. Her career was solid, she had her own home and she would soon be a godmother to a wonderful baby girl that she would spoil rotten, plus Ted had promised to introduce her to lots of gorgeous guys while on the trip. One guy in particular had taking a liking to her and they'd spent a few lustful nights together. But in the end she had to go home and he'd proved to be just at heartless as any weekend fling and didn't even see her off. He'd been just the escape she'd needed before she went back to her real life. However things wouldn't stay that way. _

Caragh was brought out of her daydream to a knock at the door, and then the door opening. She got out of the chair to head downstairs knowing it was Kristen stopping over with baby Sofia.

"Hey Car! Are you upstairs?" Kristen called from the kitchen downstairs.

"Yeah, I'll be right down." Caragh made her way to the stairs waddling all the way. Her black gauchos were basically her staple these last few months, and long tank top and cardigan and that was all she'd worn since month five. Her doctors warned her she might be headed for bed rest by month eight with twins, especially for her small frame, but she was determined to go all nine months without relying on anyone.

"Wow, I swear you get bigger by the day. Hello my lovelies, how are you today?" Krissy cooed to Caragh's stomach.

"Kris, you know they can't actually understand you right?" Caragh said with a laugh.

"Yes I do C-A-R-A, unnecessary GH." Kristen said, using her old college nickname for Caragh. Caragh Rosalinda Elliott had been born to a mother who went through a very significant romance novel phase, thus naming her youngest daughter after one of the characters in her favorite book.

"Well your right about me being bigger, I feel bigger than yesterday that's for sure. But I can still carry you my darling." Caragh said grabbing Sofia from her car seat. The girls made their way outside to sit by the pool; Caragh placed Sofia in her baby swing and brought out some sweet tea and cookies.

"So how are you really? What's your plan for when Baby A and Baby B arrive?" Kristen asked quizzically taking a sip of her tea.

"Well I've got six weeks I can take at work so that'll be fine. Then just leave them at my parents during the day, they've been a real help and I'm sure you'll want to take them sometimes." Caragh said without a beat, a statement she'd clearly rehearsed.

"I mean what are you going to do with their father. He asked Ted about you. He wants to be able to be in their lives, and I personally don't think that's an unreasonable request." Kristen said, tensing up for the protest she was sure to receive.

"I'm not doing anything with him, in fact I have papers for him to sign, relinquishing him of all parental obligations. He can consider himself a sperm donor. I'll even pay him in fact, because I clearly don't need his non-existent help. I've made it this far alone, and although the next eighteen years and beyond will be tough, it's the life I'm living." Caragh replied.

"Honey, you know I love you and I'm with you 100% no matter what you do, but those kids need a daddy. Even if you guys can't make it work, you've got to both be there for those kids, and he has a right to be able to be their dad. I think it would be wrong to take that away from him. I know that no matter what Ted ever did to me, I'd never take away his chance to raise Sofie." Kristen said rocking her daughter slightly as the newborn slept.

Caragh watched Kristen with Sofia. She was right, these kids would need a father, and Caragh would find them one in due time. But that one night stand seven month's ago wasn't exactly the guy she'd planned to raise babies with. In fact it was the total opposite when she thought back to that night.

_"Wooooo Hooooo!" Gail yelled from across the bar. It was Caragh's second to last night before she was leaving and they were all out at a bar outside Nashville. Kristen and Ted, Gail, Nattie and Beth, Phil was there as well as Drew and Stephen. _

"_Tank you for keeping me Kwissy, I'm loving being here." Caragh slurred out through her eighth margarita._

"_Oh honey you are lit, I'm about ready to head home? Are you gonna be alright to make it back with everyone else or you wanna go now?" Kristen said as Caragh started to dance away. _

"_I'll see you later, I'm gonna stay here" Caragh yelled, heading back toward the pool table where Stephen and Drew were starting up a game with the girls._

"Hello? Earth to Caragh?" Kristen said, breaking Caragh from her thoughts.

"Oh sorry, I was just thinking about that night. God what a mistake that was, well, sort of was." Caragh said patting her stomach and smiling.

"It wasn't a mistake. Look at what you've got now. Two little ones on the way, definitely not a mistake." Kristen said. Sofie started to stir so the girls moved inside to put her in one of the soon to be occupied cribs and went downstairs to continue their conversation.

"I just don't feel like he's put in any effort thus far, so why would I need to put in any effort?" Caragh said as the girls sat down on the creamy white sectional in the living room.

"He's probably scared, you know he didn't have this planned either. But I know he's tried to contact you and you just ignore him. He's been bugging Ted to get ahold of you, so I think you owe him at least a chance." Kristen said.

Caragh thought back over the last seven months. It was true, the father of her children had tried to contact her. He called her, sent emails, he sent letters. He did want to be involved, he even had offered to pay for everything even though she didn't need it. Her own salary was pretty substantial. He had first wanted her to move to his place across the state, wanted her to set up a life there, but she couldn't leave everything she knew, Kristen and her parents. He had less to give up that way, his family and friends didn't even live in the country.

"Can I tell you something Kris? He has contacted me, he's wanted to be involved. But I just don't see how it would work. I would almost rather try to do this myself then even bother trying to make it work with someone I barely know." Caragh said, staring at her friend with her steel grey eyes, eyes you could almost see into.

"He's contacted you? Why didn't you tell me? All this time I have telling Ted what a dick I think he is that he didn't just give you a call, and he has been? God, Caragh, I feel stupid now, you should have told me." Kristen said, as Sofia started to whimper in her crib. Kristen excused herself to go check on her daughter, leaving Caragh to another day dream of the night she first met him.

"_So are you boys gonna play by yourselves all night or can a lady butt in?" Caragh asked in her drunken stupor._

"_Looks like someone's been hitting the bottle pretty heavily tonight, do you want to play?" Stephen asked while powdering the top of his cue. _

"_Hey, I'm not __**that**__ drunk, but I do want to play, let's make it interesting. Whoever wins gets to make sure I make it home safely." Caragh said looking at both men. _

_They kind of looked at each other knowingly, and since Drew was already married, and Caragh was just drunk they made a kind of silent pact to just let Stephen win so he could just drop her off at the hotel. They played for about a half an hour, Caragh slurred and hung all over both of them being totally intoxicated, and then Stephen helped her to his car. She hadn't even been interested in him at all, but before she knew it they were making out in his hotel room. She tried over and over to piece together how the night began that way, but there were too many blacked out moments in her head. She remembered being led to the bed, but after that it's just dark. She woke up at five am to see him sleeping next to her, her clothing scattered around the room. She quietly got dressed and headed out making her way to her own room. Once inside she packed all of her belongings and waited until around 9am when she knew it would be okay to go into Kristen's room. _

"_Hey Krissy, there's an issue at the pharmacy I guess, I have to head in early, I'm sorry. I've got a flight into Tampa in an hour." Caragh said to her best friend. _

"_Oh doll, I'm sorry, I was going to plan a whole leaving dinner and everything. That's okay, just another reason for you to come back again, and maybe next time I'll have had this baby and it can be with a sitter that way we can both get drunk like you!" Kristen said laughing. "Who brought you home anyway?" She added. _

"_Umm, well I think either Stephen or Drew did, I'm not sure. I woke up in my room with my purse next to me so I must have just flopped down." Caragh lied. _

"_Well at least you didn't have a sleaze ball take you back and take advantage of your state of mind. Drew's a great guy, I get along with his wife too, and Stephen is so nice. They are really two of the best guys here, so I'm glad it was one of them." Kristen said. The girls got ready and drove to the airport for Caragh's flight. _

_It was about a month after that, that Caragh realized something wasn't right. Her birth control gave her only four periods a year, but the normal spotting in between had skipped. She wasn't feeling all that nauseas, but she was feeling different. Her clothes which she always wore a little tight, weren't fitting well at all and she just felt different. A trip to the doctor confirmed her fears. She was pregnant, and there were two heartbeats. _

"_Well Ms. Elliott, it seems that your about a month along, you'll notice your stomach growing sooner to accommodate both children. I'll phone in a script for your prenatals, did you want it to go to your store?" Dr. Thomas asked her nicely, as if this wasn't the worst news she could have received. _

_Caragh made the worst call to Kristen who was more excited about the impending pregnancy that she almost forgot that Caragh had lied to her. Kristen was nearing her fifth month herself and was not ecstatic that they'd be new mothers together. She was also just as excited that it had to be Stephen's child. Caragh had come clean about waking up in his room, but she held to the story that she didn't remember anything happening, but the proof lay growing in her belly that it had. Caragh told Kristen that she didn't have Stephen's number and could she have Ted just tell him about it? Despite Kristen's protests that this was something she should do, she finally agreed to help out her friend. Caragh had received her first phone call about two hours later, obviously Kristen had wasted no time. It was everything she had expected, anger first then calmer. He asked her to call him back right away that they would have to figure this out. He called asking if she was keeping it and did she need any money. He called to ask why she wasn't calling and he asked if it really was his. Then he emailed, and he wrote. They were all the same. Caragh had to hand it to him, he obviously wasn't going to just ignore this, but she hadn't known him at all. She was more embarrassed than anything. She knew how it looked, like a skanky one night stand that she now had to live with forever. But she didn't want to think of her children that way, so she made it her mission to just forget about that night as much as possible and pretend she had just maybe had an immaculate conception. But with letters arriving and calls every day it was hard to push Stephen from her mind. Kristen was right. He did deserve a chance to raise his own children, to see them whenever he liked. They were his too afterall, how could she deny him that?_


	2. Chapter 2

Kristen put Sofia back into one of the cribs in the twins room and came downstairs with the monitor.

"So when are you going to call him? Or do I? Because you know the guys have a break next week, Ted's coming home, I could let him stay at our place and you guys could just talk, figure out what to do next." Kristen suggested.

"Actually I was going to ask you if you wanted to go to the show in Jacksonville with me? Its Tuesday night, and I want to ask him to sign the papers for me that day. Just get it over with that way I can have all the legal stuff done before they are born." Caragh said, staring into her empty glass.

"You really are going to do that? You're going to make him sign those? What if he refuses, have you thought that far ahead?" Kristen asked.

"No but I'm sure he will. He doesn't know me and he has his own life, you'd think this would be like the biggest get out of jail free card there is." Caragh added grabbing the papers out of the drawer in the stand next to the couch. "Besides, it's iron clad. He wouldn't be responsible for anything, even if I became destitute and didn't have two dimes to rub together I wouldn't be able to force him to help me. He'd be clear of any responsibility. And they would be free to see him if they desired after they turn eighteen." Caragh said handing the papers to Kristen.

Kristen looked over the papers that Caragh's lawyer had drawn up three months ago. They were definitely iron clad, and they spelled out the rules. There would be no contact with the children until they turned eighteen and could consent to it themselves. No letters, no pictures, nothing. He wouldn't have to be responsible financially or in any other way. There was also a clause if for the unfortunate chance that Caragh were to die, the babies would go to the care of Kristen and Ted, in which case they would have to remain in the state of Florida to be near Caragh's parents, and Stephen would still have to remain out of their lives, he could visit Ted as long as the kids were in the care of Caragh's parents. That way there would be no confusion in their lives over why they couldn't live with their father.

"Are you really sure you want to do this? I mean, I doubt he's going to sign this but I'll go with you. I think it's just going to be ugly though honey, honestly." Kristen said with a sigh, placing the papers back on the table.

Kristen and Sofie left soon after, Kristen agreed to meet Caragh on Tuesday to head to the show to meet up with the guys and deliver the bad news as Kristen put it. They decided to do a whole girls day and get pedicures and what not before the show and do lunch. Caragh agreed, giving Kristen one last afternoon to try to talk her out of bringing the papers but Caragh stood her ground. However, once they were at the arena she started to get those nagging butterflies when you know you're making a big mistake.

"Hello ladies, God Caragh, you sure there's only two in there?" Ted exclaimed as he met his wife and her best friend at the arena back entrance.

"Wow Teddy, way to make me feel even fatter than I already am!" Caragh laughed. Inside however she was jealous that Kristen had lost all her baby weight so quick, it would take months for Caragh to lose the weight from two.

"You know that's not what I meant, anyway let's get inside, we've had some really crazy fans here today." Ted said leading the girls inside. They made their way to one of the waiting rooms where the talent waited for direction. They didn't have locker rooms per say, but instead a bunch of green rooms with kraft service, the locker rooms you see on tv are all apart of a set. The girls decided to head down to the girls waiting room to visit with Gail and Melina whom Kristen was friends with. It was then that Stephen first saw her from afar.

He instantly knew it was Caragh when he notice Ted's wife walking down the hall with a very pregnant woman. His heart fell into his stomach at the sight of her. He'd always thought she was an attractive woman, but knowing that she was the mother of his children made her glow on a level only an expectant father knows. He knew to wait until she came to him, after all she'd ignored every phone call, text, any kind of communication, so obviously there was some tension there. Plus Ted had clued him in on her arrival and told him to just play it cool till she came to talk to him, which she was planning on doing. But still seeing her from a distance made him want to run up to her and take her in his arms and let her know they'd make it work. He had wanted to talk to her the morning after they'd hooked up. He'd always had a thing for her from the moment they'd met briefly at Ted and Kristen's wedding. Then when she came to visit seven months ago he'd gone out with them every night to try to get closer to her. But the night they'd gotten together had been the wrong way to do it, she'd been so drunk she couldn't have remembered and he'd felt like an ass afterward. But he'd wanted to try to make it up to her, if only she hadn't left so soon. Maybe they could have found out about the pregnancy together, and maybe he could have been apart of that time in her life. He hated himself for not contacting her sooner, trying to make it up to her. Now she'd gone through almost an entire pregnancy alone. Who knew what she thought of him now.

The girls made their way to where Gail and Beth were after almost getting lost in the twisting halls of the arena.

"Oh my lord! Look at you! I've missed you honey." Gail said taking Caragh into a big hug, although with Caragh's growing stomach the petite Asian could hardly fit her arms around her.

"I know, I look like a bus, it's cool." Caragh said hugging her back.

"No, you look gorgeous, you make pregnancy look good. Wow, yeah, well you've seen how tall Stephen is, you've probably got two foot tall babies in there already!" Beth exclaimed.

Caragh shot Kristen a glance and the two best friends talked through their eyes as only best friends can do. Kristen knew immediately that her friend hadn't let on that Caragh wanted to raise the kids herself, nor that she was simply her to relinquish Stephen of his parental rights. Gail sensed the tension and quickly changed the subject.

"So have you thought about names yet? I would never be able to make up my mind." Gail said, giving Caragh and apologetic smiled while nonchalantly texting something to Beth.

"Well I was thinking of maybe Aaron and Amber, but that might be a little too kitschy you know?" Caragh said with a chuckle.

"Yeah I don't know about matching letters, they are going to be matching in so many ways, might as well give em totally opposite names right?" Kristen said. Just then Ted walked in with Toby one of the sound guys that would outfit the girls with mics for their promos later.

"Hey guys, here are your tickets, seats are in the front row, the show should start soon everyones pretty much settling down before their turn. I think it's a good time for any last words ya know?" Ted said staring at Caragh, hinting to her that she should go talk to Stephen now before the show began.

"Oh well we should go get settled I guess, Kris do you want to come with me?" Caragh asked meekly, suddenly nervous for what she had to do.

"I'm going to just see Ted to his locker room for his promo, I'll meet you down at the seats okay? You'll be fine, you wont get lost, I promise. I love you." Krissy said giving Caragh a big hug. Her pregnant friend departed slowly clutching that manila folder in her arms. Kristen's heart sank, she hoped her friend would change her mind.

"Would someone please explain to me what that was about, we mentioned Stephen and then you couldn't even cut the tension with a knife, you'd need a damn chainsaw." Gail said looking to Kristen and Ted for answers.

"She hasn't seen or talked to him since she got pregnant. She only came tonight so he would sign some paperwork removing any parental rights. She doesn't want him in their lives. I tried to talk her out of it but she's sticking to her guns on this one." Krissy said almost monotone. She hated the decision Caragh was making.

"Are you kidding? He's been so excited about this; she's all he talks about. Her and the twins. I figured they'd been dating all this time." Beth said confused.

"No, they haven't even talked. He sends her letters, calls, texts, everything. But she just ignores it all. I don't know why she wont let him in her life. It's ridiculous." Kristen said, actually displaying the anger she felt for the first time. She tried to support Caragh, but she just couldn't agree with her on this one.

"Wow, I never knew that. God, that's going to destroy him. Can she even do that?" Gail asked.

"I guess if he refuses to sign the papers, the next step is a hearing with a judge and the judge will decide the terms of visitation with the kids. He'll have to look at how they met and the situation in which she got pregnant, and I guess since it's a one night stand so to speak he'll most likely side with her case and remove his rights anyway. But that could be long and ugly." Kristen said.

"I really hope it doesn't come to that, I hope she just gets over this hormonal kick. Pregnant chicks are the worst." Ted added, suddenly regretting it realizing he was standing with three women. They laughed and the girls went to change while Ted and Kristen walked toward his green room.

Meanwhile, Caragh walked slowly toward her seat. She was too nervous to go find Stephen herself so she decided she'd just walk slowly to her seat and if he happened to walk by her then that would be that. Otherwise she'd say she didn't find him and make Kristen come with her later. It took a lot of effort to slowly move herself, all her stomach wanted was for her to sit. It was getting tough carrying around two babies all day, and she really didn't look forward to the last two months.

As Caragh rounded the corner to head toward the entrance to the seats she saw him. He was talking with some of the guys up by door to the outside. As soon as their eyes locked she stopped dead in her tracks, her heart beating fast. As he excused himself and starting making his way toward her she thought she might die from her heart racing. And as her heart almost jumped out of her chest, she also felt something else. The fast kicking of two little people inside of her, two people about to meet their father.


	3. Chapter 3

"Hey, Ted said you were coming by today, how have you been?" Stephen asked Caragh as he approached her. The nervous feeling in the pit of his stomach refused to go away.

Caragh took her time responding, she felt her palms perspire as she gripped tightly onto the file from her lawyer, it almost felt as if it could burn her skin.

"I've been good considering. I'm sorry I haven't really reached out to you, but I want to do this myself." Caragh said swallowing hard.

"What do you mean do it yourself? You know anything you need I'll help you; you just say what you need. I want to be there as much as possible." Stephen said. He looked nervous Caragh noticed. He ran his hands over his facial hair and stared at the ground. They'd both rehearsed this conversation she thought to herself, smiling inside.

"What I mean is that you don't need to help. I can do it myself, and I want to do it myself. I actually only came her tonight so you could sign some papers for me, so that you won't be legally obligated in anyway, it's really simple actua-"

"Wait." He said, cutting her off. "You want me to sign away my kids? That's what you're here to talk about? To take me totally out of the picture?" Stephen said, suddenly angry. He'd had no idea about this, Ted and Kristen hadn't said anything, simply said Caragh had needed time.

"I just think that since we didn't plan to do this, and we really don't know each other that well that it would just be easier to part ways. That way you wouldn't have to feel responsible for something you never meant to do." Caragh said, starting to lose track of her thoughts. It had seemed so smart when she'd thought up this plan the last seven months. Now she felt like everyone else, she doubted taking this man out of his children's lives. What had she been thinking? Now if he was in their lives there would always be a black cloud in the air that she hadn't wanted him there. God, she really hadn't thought this totally through.

"I don't know how you can say that to me. You know I didn't mean for this to happen, but when I knew it had I wasn't upset or angry, I was elated. I couldn't have been happier. I want to make this work and start a life with you." Stephen said, placing his hand on her shoulder. She shrugged it off coldly.

"How can you say that? We barely know each other. We might as well be total strangers. And what about what I want? Did you think about that? Do you think I really want to be a single mother? No, obviously I don't, but I am. I would be a single mother regardless, because if I was with you, you'd be on the road so much it would seem like I was alone anyway." Caragh said, tears suddenly welling up in her eyes. She never realized till now how scared she was to do this alone. Of course her family and friends would help, but at the end of the day it would be just her, and that scared her to death.

"I would work less, I could work less, retire even maybe. We'd figure something out, I already asked for a couple months off and that was fine. You'd be surprised how accommodating my job can be." Stephen said turning to look back at some of the other guys who were now watching their conversation. Everyone had been really surprised to hear about the impending birth especially since they hadn't known he'd been dating anyway. He'd been a little embarrassed himself to say they weren't dating so he just left it at it was new and the pregnancy was a big surprise.

"You would retire?" Caragh said with a laugh. She couldn't let him do that. She'd tried her best to paint him as a no good asshole, but she knew he wasn't. She didn't want to be the reason he left his dreams behind, even though a child was certainly the bigger responsibility.

"I would, I would do that if it meant I could be with you." Stephen admitted.

The conversation suddenly took a turn. Caragh's stomach did flops at the realization that maybe he wanted to try to have a relationship with her. She'd always thought this over in relation to the babies, that he wanted to be part of their lives. She never thought he'd want them to be a family, the four of them together, not separate. That scared her maybe more than having the kids.

"I just don't think it's the right time to start something like that, I just feel like it would be easier to just not bother. Then you can go on with your life and I can go on with mine." Caragh spat out coldly, handing Stephen the manila folder. He took it but stared at it as if it was a death sentence.

"I don't know how you'd expect me to go on with my life knowing that the girl I like is out there raising my children without me. That she doesn't want me there. But I guess if that's really what you want, if that's what would make you happiest, then I don't want to stand in your way." Stephen said turning and slowly walking away. Caragh stood frozen in her spot knowing now just how selfish she actually was being, this was what Kristen was talking about that whole time. She now felt absolutely sick to her stomach. It would have been easier if he was a jerk, or if he was an abusive ex-boyfriend. But instead he was incredibly kind, and was actually willing to walk out of her life, not because he wasn't ready to be a father or didn't want to give up his lifestyle, but because he wanted her to be happy. He was willing to suffer himself if it meant her happiness, and for that Caragh felt like the worst human being in the world.

Caragh made her way to her seat to find Kristen already sitting there.

"Well? How did it go?" Kristen asked looking up at Caragh with big blue eyes.

"Well, it could have gone better." Caragh replied taking her seat, butterflies still jumping in the pit of her stomach.

"Oh Honey, what happened? I knew it wouldn't go well. You should just give him a chance." Kristen said patting Caragh's knee.

"I don't think he'd take that chance now. The look on his face was heartbreaking. I really feel so selfish now too. I thought this would have been like a weight lifted, but instead it's like I've made it all worse." Caragh said, the first tear of the night sliding down her face.

"Oh gosh, what happened?" Kristen asked, suddenly feeling like this was the wrong venue to have this conversation.

"Well basically he made me realize what a selfish bitch I'm being. He just wants to be there for me. Not just for them, but me too, no matter what the cost is to his own life. I barely know him, yet he's willing to throw away his whole career for me, and all I want is for him to stay away." Caragh said, crying harder.

"Alright, let's go. We can't stay here now, we'll head back to the hotel." Kristen said, starting to get up.

"No, I'm fine. Ted will want to see you in the crowd anyway." Caragh said patting her eyes with a tissue.

The rest of the show went quickly. Pangs of jealousy ran through Caragh when Ted came out and she saw how he looked at Krissy. Stephen's match seemed to take forever, and he would look away quickly whenever he caught Caragh's eye. She was really beginning to have doubts about keeping him out of her life. They could get to know each other, maybe be friends. They could raise their children together, and maybe everything would work out.

The girls headed back to the hotel and Caragh started to feel even more uneasy. She had to talk to him again. Maybe she could still make this right. Ted and Kristen were going out to dinner because he wouldn't see her for almost another week, so Caragh sent Stephen a message that she wanted to talk again and to meet her at the room. He agreed and let her know he'd be about an hour.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Disclaimer: I know I've said this in previous stories, but I just want to say again that I don't write in an accent for anyone. I am not good with accents so I don't want to write it how someone would sound, just use your imagination when reading it if you like. **_

Caragh paced in her hotel room so much she thought she might put a hole in the floor. She tried rehearsing and planning out the conversation but couldn't think of a way to bring back the reason in her original plan. It now sounded stupid and juvenile, and she felt terrible for thinking it up. Instead she now tried to find a way to raise two infants with someone she barely knew, but the more important thing she needed to rehearse was her apology. No matter how she tried to word it, she just couldn't. If there was one thing she hated more than actually being wrong, it was admitting it.

A knock at the door broke her out of her train of thought, she suddenly felt sick to her stomach again. The walk to the door seems to be in slow motion, turning the handle was like trying to move a mountain. The sounds the lock sliding out of place seemed to be louder somehow, all these things making the impending entrance of a not so welcomed guest that much harder to bear.

Stephen came into the room with a bouquet of roses, a nice gesture but not necessary. Caragh put them on the desk.

"So I guess we need to talk." She said, getting right to the point. She smiled briefly, remembering the last time they'd really seen each other had been in a hotel room after a show. Funny how those things happen, she thought to herself.

"Yea, I guess we do. I read your papers. It's really bullshit if you ask me, but I'll sign it if that's truly what you want." Stephen said, sitting on the end of the bed. Caragh continued to pace the room.

"Well I was thinking that maybe that's not the best thing after all. I mean, I don't want to be unfair to you." Caragh said.

"And this is your idea of being fair?" He asked, staring into her eyes.

"No it's not. I wasn't thinking about you when I had those drawn up, but now I know how big of a mistake that was. It's not right that I just want to exclude you from everything. Kristen tried to explain that to me, but I guess I didn't get it until now." Caragh said, still pacing.

"Why don't you sit down? It's not good for a twin pregnancy for you to be really active." Stephen said, patting the space on the bed next to him.

"Oh really, and how do you know? I'm trying to stay as active as I can so I don't go on bed rest." Caragh said laughing.

"The baby books say with a twin pregnancy, you have to be careful the last trimester, or you can go into early labor." Stephen said.

"The baby books? You read baby books?" Caragh said intrigued. Personally, she hadn't even read any baby books, and she was the one giving birth. She'd just gone on her natural instincts as a mother to be.

"Well yeah, you weren't responding to me, I had to get prepared somehow. I didn't want to just show up with no knowledge." Stephen said, giving Caragh that look that melted her heart in the first place. She may not have been all with it the night they got together, but she'd always thought he was a nice guy, and attractive. They'd first met briefly at Kristen and Ted's wedding, where Caragh had come with the date from hell, some guy she'd met at the Pharmacy. He'd gotten really drunk and star struck with some of Ted's friends, so Caragh had stayed seated at the table most of the night. Stephen's date had had too much to drink and was inside the banquet hall puking her brains out so they'd gotten to spend some time that night talking, and she'd really realized what a sweet guy he was. "Well, I guess the first thing to figure out is where they'll live. We're a couple hours away from each other; I don't know that I want to travel that far with them all the time when they are first born." Caragh said, rubbing her stomach as she felt a kick.

"Well, would you consider moving nearer to me? Or I could move nearer to you." Stephen suggested.

"Well, I've got a lot more going on in Tampa, I've got a job and my parents live there. Maybe it'd be easier if you just moved near us or got an apartment for at least the time being." Caragh said. She felt she had more to give up in the way of moving. His job was everywhere, whereas hers was only in Tampa.

"Well that could work, I could find someplace temporary. Hey do you feel okay?" Stephen asked, concerned.

"Yeah, fine. Why?" Caragh asked quizzically.

"You keep rubbing your stomach, I didn't know if you were having those early contractions or what." He asked, looking at her full belly.

"Oh no, they're just kicking. They haven't really been kicking much, just lately. It only seems to happen when you're around; they must know who you are." Caragh said grabbing a bottle of water from the mini fridge and taking a seat on the bed next to the father of her children.

"Really? Can I feel?" He asked. Caragh nodded silently. Stephen placed his large hand over the young woman's growing womb as a tiny foot kicked outward.

"It's different than when you read about it. The first time they kicked I felt nauseas. I thought I was just going to get sick again, but then I realized what it was. They've stayed quiet for the most part, but now that you're here, it's like they are tap dancing." Caragh said smiling. Stephen stood up and looked down at Caragh still on the bed. "You know when Ted first told me about this, I thought it was a death sentence. I thought that everything I wanted to do would never happen. But now, it's all I want to do. This is everything." Stephen said, looking full of love. Caragh just stared at the ground. He had a way of making her feel even worse. Why had she doubted this man being there for her? She didn't know him that well, but she had been so quick to put him in the same category as every man she'd met before.

"Well I'm glad. If you're willing to be there, then I want you to be. I just didn't want to be waiting around for you and having to constantly explain why you're not here, but you clearly want to make the effort. I have a doctor's appointment next week, Tuesday. It's in Tampa, at Sinai Medical Group on Baker Ave. Did you want to go? They are doing the 3D Sonogram that day, and I guess you can see their faces really well." Caragh suggested, instinctively bracing for disappointment.

"I'd love to. We're off for about a week so I'll be able to make it. I'll call you closer to then?" Stephen said moving toward the bed.

"That sounds great, thank you." Caragh said, seeing him out. After he had left she texted Kristen to come over, she had lots to share.

Kristen came quickly, Ted's room was only a few doors down.

"So? How did it go?" Kristen asked, looking like a five year old on Christmas.

"It went well I guess, he really wants to be there for me and be apart of their lives. He's going to get a place closer to Tampa." Caragh said, rubbing her belly, the babies still kicking violently.

"Really? That would be so great, oh my goodness. I'm happy for you. You need someone to do this with, you can't do it yourself." Kristen said.

"Oh really, where was this seven months ago when you said I could do anything." Caragh asked laughing.

"I was lying doll, I really know you can't do it alone, and I knew I'd be helping but I always hoped you've have Ste with you to help." Kristen said beaming. She always had that white picket fence outlook on life.

"Well thanks for that, what a great friend." Caragh said sarcastically, clutching the bottom of her stomach which had built with pressure.

"Hey are you okay?" Kristen asked.

"Yeah, they're just kicking, it feels like hard as a rock on the bottom here, and pressure too." Caragh said swallowing hard, was this kicking still?

"Oh that's just early contractions. Kicking is fluttery, like a butterfly. Contractions are the pressure and pain. And if you are getting a harder stomach that means they'll be coming sooner!" Kristen said squealing with excitement.

"Really?" Caragh asked.

The girls talked a little longer, then Kristen left to spend the last night with Ted. Caragh curled up in the bed trying to get comfortable and thought seriously about the whole situation. She'd been planning and going over it in her head but now after what Kristen said tonight, they'd be coming soon, that scared her to death. What would it really be like once the babies were born? She hadn't really thought about that. It was always thinking in preparation for their arrival. Now they were really on their way, and they weren't going to wait for Caragh to get her life together.

Caragh spent the next day in the office of the Pharmacy catching up on all the paperwork from when she was gone. It was crazy how little was done when she wasn't there. Lena, and intern, broke her train of thought as she entered the office.

"Hey Car, there's a guy here to see you." Lena said.

"Okay I'll be right out." Caragh said putting her papers aside. She stood up, which now took more effort, and waddled out to the front where she was frozen in place.

"Jason?" Caragh uttered almost silently.

"Wow, you really are pregnant then?" Jason said. Ten years of memories rushed back into Caragh's mind from where she'd locked them up so long ago.

"What are you doing here?" Caragh asked, stepping around the counter to face her old flame.

"I heard from your cousin Amy that you were pregnant. I thought I'd come down and see how you were doing." Jason said.

Amy huh, Caragh thought making a mental note to kill her favorite cousin slowly and painfully. "Are you sure you can waste time away from your important desk job?" Caragh asked icily.

"I probably deserve that. Listen, I didn't come here to fight. I just wanted to make sure you were okay, Ames said you were doing this by yourself, I just wondered why." Jason asked.

"Well I'm not totally alone actually, so you didn't need to waste a flight." Caragh said turning to go.

"Wait, let me at least take you to lunch. We can catch up on things, I came all this way Carrie." Jason said using his pet name for her. She hadn't been called Carrie in two years.

"I guess I could spare you one lunch. Let me grab my bag." Caragh said heading back into her office. Of all the planning she'd done for her life, things certainly had been out of whack lately.

They headed down the street to a little deli that Caragh often went to. Jason was the sweetheart he'd always been and helped her to her seat and ordered their lunches. The beginning started off shaky but as soon as Caragh let her guard down it was like they'd never been apart. She fell right back into the same routine with him.

"So how are your parents?" Caragh asked, taking another bite of her turkey sandwich.

"They're great, still trying to get me to take over the administrators' position, but I've been trying new things lately, more patient care, like you had wanted." Jason said looking down sheepishly.

"Really? Well that's great. I love patient care." Caragh added.

"Yeah it's been making me think a lot lately, about us you know. I feel like I threw everything away, and now look at our lives. Yours is moving on and you're having a kid now, I wish I'd stayed a part of it." Jason said, staring into her steel grey eyes.

"Well you could always be part of it again you know. You could come back here." Caragh said, letting her emotions run wild.

"I'd like that Carrie, but what about the guy that helped you get like this? Where's he in all this?" Jason asked.

"He's not really in the picture." Caragh lied. "He's a friend of Ted and Kristen's so he travels with Ted a lot and I don't know how much I'll be able to count on him." Caragh felt a little sick painting Stephen in such bad light, but it was probably true. Just because he'd made a few promises in a hotel room didn't mean he'd always be there for her when his job took him around the world.

"Well would you like me to stay?" Jason asked seriously, putting his hand on Caragh's.

Would she want him to stay? The words ran over in her mind and she weighed out the options.

"You know what Jason, the truth is. . . . . .


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks to Moxxie23 and kizzyfur for the reviews so far, probably my biggest and only fans! 3 xoxo**

"You know Jason the truth is, I would love it if you stayed here. I've really missed having you around." Caragh said with a smile. She didn't know where these emotions were coming from. Hadn't this man left her so many years ago? Why did she feel like they'd never been apart at all?

"I'm glad, I really regret breaking things off between us, and I've never found anyone like you since then. It's really like you were the only one for me." Jason said, taking her hand in his. They finished lunch catching up on each other's lives and Caragh was pleased to hear that Jason hadn't been with anyone else for more than a couple of weeks. She confessed she'd been the same never finding the one, and they fell back into what they'd ended two years earlier. He left to go back to his hotel to get some things and told her he'd meet her at her house and she didn't hesitate in giving him the key. Work seemed to drag on in the anticipation of heading home to see Jason once more.

"Don't you think it's a little odd though? This guy who broke your heart coming back to raise your bastard children with you?" Lena said without a skip. She never sugar coated anything.

"No Lena, I do not. We have a history, he cares about me. That's all it is. It's just at the end of the day we know what we had and maybe we can get it back. He's the only man I've ever really loved." Caragh said, locking up some of the more controlled drugs. "And besides, he's not helping me raise bastard children. They have a father and he'll be in their lives too when he has time." Caragh said, helping Lena to pull down the heavy metal fencing over the pharmacy.

"From what you were saying earlier it sounds like he wants to be in both your lives, I don't think Stephen's gonna like the introduction of the "boyfriend"." Lena said laughing. The girls parted ways and as Caragh walked to her car she thought about that. Boyfriend. What would Jason be to her? Would they suddenly be back together as if the past two years had never happened? What would they do and how would Stephen react. Obviously Caragh didn't owe him anything, but he had said he wanted to work on a relationship with her. Was that relationship a platonic, mother of his children one or had he meant something more? She hadn't really figured that one out. What she did know was that Jason would be there when she got home, so she needed to use the car ride to try to figure it out, because he could always read her eyes when she was thinking.

As she headed onto the freeway to make her way back home her phone started buzzing. Looking down at the screen it was flashing Stephen. Of course, she thought to herself. Already this was turning into a mess. What had happened to her planned out life? Where had everything gone so wrong?

She picked up the cell heavily. "Hello?" Caragh asked, trying to sound happy and normal.

"Hey Caragh, It's me. Ahh, I didn't know if I should come over or not, or if you wanted me to come over. I'm in town, staying at Ted's for a couple days. " Stephen sputtered out. He was clearly nervous, it was almost cute.

"Oh you are? Well tonight's not really good, I don't feel that well, stomach bug I guess. Everything is fine but I'm just a little off, why don't I come over there tomorrow? " Caragh suggested, knowing she couldn't very well have two men at her house who both clearly wanted to be the only one in her life.

"Oh, okay, well are you sure? How sick are you? Do you need to see the doctors?" Stephen asked concerned. For a second she wondered why he cared at all and then remembered when she was suddenly kicked in the pelvis.

"No I'm fine, it's normal, don't worry. I'll stop by in the morning. I have tomorrow off so maybe we can get some things for the babies and lunch." Caragh suggested. Better to sound enthusiastic so he doesn't wonder she thought to herself.

"Okay, that sounds good. I'm glad your letting me into your life Caragh." Stephen said with a click. It felt like a knife to the heart as far as she was concerned. He was so open and loving. He didn't need to be there for her, she'd given him a free escape. Instead he wanted to be there. But then there was Jason too. He also didn't owe her anything, pregnant with someone else's kids. But he wanted back into her life as well. He was willing to be there for her while she finished her pregnancy and maybe beyond. How had she began this journey seven month's ago wondering if she would end up a spinster with 100 cats and now she had two great guys vying to be part of her life. She obviously had some decisions to make and it would be hard to get her head clear with Jason at home. She decided to give Kristen a call and have her meet her at the grocery store so she could run ideas over with her. It was really the only way to sneak out on both men without them wondering too much. She sent Krissy a text to meet her and let Jason know she was picking a couple things up and that she would be home in about an hour.

Caragh sat patiently at a the store's deli and sipped some iced tea as she waited for Kristen. She was busy watching the lobsters swim in their tank when Kristen finally showed up.

"Hey girly, how you feeling today?" Kristen asked pulling Caragh into a big hug. Kristen had been especially happy with Caragh when she'd told her she was giving Stephen a chance. No doubt pleased more with herself because it had been her idea.

"Oh just the same as always, pregnant and juggling several men." Caragh joked, breaking the ice by inserting her news into a would be joke.

"Wait. Juggling? Juggling who?" Kristen asked, confused.

"Well you wouldn't believe who is back in town." Caragh said giving her best friend a loving glance.

"No. He's not is he? Caragh. WHAT. THE. FUCK." Kristed said a little too loud for the Publix grocery.

"Kris, would you watch your language, god, we're in public." Caragh said, putting some brown rice into her cart.

"Well what happened? Why is he now coming back into your life, after everything he's done?" Kristen said throwing in some canned veggies.

"He didn't ever really _do_ anything Kris, and you've never let him go on that. He just had to take a job at the time that seemed right for his life and I took one for mine. It wasn't anything that was done, it was just not the right time in our lives." Caragh said, not sure if she was trying to convince Kristen or herself.

"Oh and now is the right time? When your seven month's pregnant with another mans kid?" Kristen said, clearly not convinced.

"Okay so it's not really the greatest timing but he's willing to stay and help. I guess he's taking a job at a nursing home not far from here, and he's not afraid to help with the babies. He wants to in fact." Caragh lied. Jason hadn't really said he'd help with the babies, not in so many words. He'd offered to stay and be there for her, he hadn't said anything about becoming a surrogate father.

"Wow. I never would have taken him for a Go to guy. I always thought he was a screw up. Well you know how I feel on the subject, and that's not going to change, but I'm not the one telling Stephen about it, that's all you." Kristen said as the girls moved on to produce.

"Why should I tell him anything? I don't owe him anything and neither does he." Caragh said defensively, wrapping some tomatoes.

"Caragh be real. You can't just have him show up at the hospital for the birth and be like oh by the way, this is my boyfriend. Besides, Stephen's still in town isn't he? I thought you guys were going to get together." Kristen said. Caragh suddenly remembered.

"I said get together yes, but not that way. He's going with me to the sonogram appointment on Tuesday and then we're going to figure out his schedule for when it's time for the birth, and then go from there. I can't ask him to give up his dreams, so it'd be nice to have Jason around to help me, and then Stephen is obviously welcome anytime." Caragh said, planning as per usual.

"Have you thought about how Stephen will react to oh yeah you can come around whenever you can but this other guy is going to basically raise your children with me." Kristen said, almost chucking some pears into the cart.

"Kris, you make it sound like no one has every raised children separate from each other. There are plenty of step-fathers and boyfriends out there raising families with other dads in the picture. Your really blowing this way out of proportion. Besides, it's not like Jason is living with me, he'll just be around to help as I need it." Caragh said. Was that true? She hadn't asked him if he had an apartment. Was he assuming they'd live together? It seemed that Caragh still had quite a bit to figure out, and she had less than two months to do it.


End file.
